Most corrupt counties in North Eastern

The anti-corruption agency is investigating sixty seven high profile cases, touching on allegations of corruption and irregular procurement in Marsabit, Mandera, Samburu and Wajir Counties.
The EACC,  Chief Executive Officer, Twalib Mbarak said the cases are part of 231 graft-related cases received and processed by the Commission touching on the 4 counties.
In a report submitted before the Senate Justice and Legal Affairs committee yesterday, the EACC boss said Marsabit county leads with ninety cases, followed by Samburu with eighty seven cases, Wajir thirty two and Mandera twenty two.
“The Commission has prioritized sixty seven high impact cases which have been completed or are at various advanced stages of investigation,” said Mr Mbarak.
The development comes after Marsabit Senator Mohamed Chute, had sought from the committee the details on the number and status of inquiries by EACC, into allegations of corruption and irregular procurement in Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit and Samburu counties.
Further, the senator wanted to know the number of cases the Commission has recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions, stating how many of the cases were prosecuted and how many were referred back to the agency.
Mr. Mbarak said some of the ongoing cases in Samburu County include, allegations of embezzlement of funds by the Department of Lands, through fraudulent imprest applications and false surrender documents amounting to KSh 50 million.
There is also an inquiry into allegations of irregular recruitment to fill twenty three positions by the Samburu County Assembly, as well as claims of misappropriation of public funds by the county government in the purchase of survey equipment at an inflated cost of KSh 9.6 million through Tikitas Limited.
He said an inquiry into inflation to tender for purchase of tractors from KSh 2.5 million to KSh 6 million by Livestock CEC, is pending in court as well as conflict of interest case against former Governor Moses Lenolkulal regarding supply of fuel through M/S Oryx Service Station.
Further, a KSh 84 million asset recovery case against Mr Lenolkulal, being assets acquired from irregular trading by the county government with Oryx is also still before court. While a KSh 3.5 million misappropriation of public funds in procuring vaccines for livestock in Samburu, has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
In Marsabit, there are 6 ongoing investigations into embezzlement of donated funds for drilling of boreholes and tree planting, KSh 41.4 million payments for procurement of relief food to Drescoll Limited in the financial years ended 2019 and 2020. Also KSh 14.4 million procurement irregularities where county officers paid the amount for projects not delivered under the Kenya Urban Support Programme funded by World Bank.
There is also an inquiry into KSh 20 million relief food supply tender awarded to Masanach Construction Limited. KSh20 million excavation tender for a water pan awarded to M/S Surupa Investment Limited, and irregular award of tender for motor vehicle insurance to Takaful Insurance Company, during the financial years ended June 2017 and 2018.
In Mandera County, former Governor Ali Roba is under investigation for allegations of irregularly employing forty seven officers, without involvement of the County Public Service Board. EACC is also investigating allegations of procurement irregularities in utilization of Covid-19 funds by the county government in the financial year ended June 2020.
For Wajir, the agency is investigating allegations of conflict of interest against ex-Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamed, through payment of KSh 1.1 billion to sixteen companies associated with him and his immediate family members between 2016 and 2020.
“Allegations of embezzlement of public funds by officials of the county government of Wajir amounting to KSh 26.1 million has been finalized in court and the accused convicted,” said Mr Mbarak.
The EACC boss said 9 reports on high impact investigations have been forwarded  to the DPP. With various recommendations out ,which DPP has concurred with the Commission’s recommendation for the prosecution of 5 cases and closure of 4 files due to insufficient evidence.
The 4 include recruitment of chief officers and the public service board in Marsabit County and alteration of the appropriation bill 2014, while the other one is KSh 3.5 million livestock vaccine procurement in Samburu County.